Cackling Goose -- Peterborough, March 11 2012

After scanning through many thousands of Canada Geese over the last few months, I finally found something different!

I dropped by Little Lake at 1:30pm and was surprised to see a lone Horned Grebe off of "the point" in Little Lake Cemetery.

Horned Grebe

There were also 57 Hooded Mergansers, 78 Ring-necked Duck, 5 American Wigeon and a Redhead among other things.

American Wigeon, Ring-necked Duck and friends

There were also a pair of Merlins flying over the cemetery calling incessantly. At least three Iceland Gulls were loafing with the usual crowd of Ring-billeds and Herrings.

Iceland Gull

Abby and I returned in the evening for a quick look through the remaining ducks. I scanned through a smallish flock of Canada Geese on the water and spotted one that was much smaller than the rest. After scrutinizing so many small Canada Geese, there was no mistaking an actual Cackling Goose.

Cackling Goose

In other Peterborough news, many migrants are back in full force. Common Grackles and Red-winged Blackbirds are becoming more common every day. The city is getting close to bursting with American Robins. During one of the warmer days last week I saw more than 50 gathered on a small patch of exposed grass.

I found another flock of Bohemian Waxwings on March 4th, this one a bit more substantial.

Bohemian Waxwings

It can be funny how easy it is to find things when you stop looking for them.

In even more other news, I made it down to see the Cranberry Marsh "Oregon" Junco on February 28 2012. As I looked through a group of Dark-eyed Juncos I heard something behind me and turned to see the Oregon about six feet away on the path. If only it was always this easy!

The Cranberry Marsh "Oregon"

It was a pretty good day. I made a bunch of stops and went as far as the Scarborough Bluffs to follow up a tip on an Eastern Screech Owl. At Lynde Shores Conservation Area I saw a Song Sparrow, Winter Wren and Red-bellied Woodpecker (and a flock of six White-throated Sparrows the following day.) In the late evening at Thickson Woods I saw a Northern Mockingbird and a Northern Harrier and heard the resident Great-horned Owl.

Eastern Screech Owl

Peterborough Area -- Jan 10 2012

There had been a Common Loon and White-winged Scoter seen at Gannon's Narrows on Pigeon Lake a couple of times during the last week so I started my day off out there. The Common Loon was present on the East side of the Narrows, pretty close to the South shore. There were 63 Common Goldeneye on the West side, very distant. After having a good look through the Common Goldeneye at the limit of my scope, I had one last look at the East side before leaving. Sure enough, the White-winged Scoter was now out in the center of the channel, impossible to miss. A group of three Mallards that kept flying around rounded out the trip.
Next, I went to check out the gulls on Little Lake in Peterborough. While driving through downtown, I noticed a Cooper's Hawk chasing a group of pigeons overhead. I managed to follow it for a couple of blocks and eventually locate it in a Manitoba Maple in someone's front yard on Aylmer Street. I only had a 55mm with me. Of all times not to have a 300mm.


Cooper's Hawk -- still hungry for delicious pigeon

 The flock of gulls on Little Lake moves from day to day, especially with the ice melting due to the warm weather. After finding the best vantage point, I scoped through them, finding three Glaucous Gulls, four Iceland Gulls, seven Great Black-backed Gulls and a single adult Lesser Black-backed Gull. There were about 300 Herring Gulls and a handful of Ring-billeds mixed in as well. The lighting and my position weren't the best, so I'm sure the Iceland/Glaucous count could be higher. There were also five Common Mergansers and a bunch more Common Goldeneye on Little Lake.